New home at Steel City Stadium for world’s oldest county football association
Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association (SHCFA) will relocate its headquarters to Steel City Stadium in summer 2025.
The news has been confirmed by Scarborough Group International (SGI), owner and developer of the stadium and the official development partner for the expansion of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
As the world’s oldest county football association, founded in 1867, SHCFA governs and supports grassroots football within a 20-mile radius of Sheffield Cathedral. It has more than 50,000 registered players.
The move follows the sale of the SHCFA’s Meadowhall Road base and will enable significant reinvestment into the development of a purpose-built Football Centre and support for future football hubs across the region.
Steel City Stadium has been backed by funding from the Football Foundation and over £10m worth of private investment from SGI.
Its flexible workspace is already home to Barnsley Women’s FC, Ice Hockey UK and Cricket Arena, while the pitch hosts Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club training and fixtures alongside community and grassroots teams.
The stadium is at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, a centre of sporting excellence that also includes the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, iceSheffield and the Canon Medical Arena.
Looking ahead, SGI says its vision for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park goes far beyond the stadium.
Through an initial development agreement with Sheffield City Council, SGI is bringing forward a masterplan to deliver up to one million sq ft of commercial space around the existing facilities.
This expansion will include office space, laboratories, leisure and retail. These plans have a forecast gross development value of more than £500m.
Brian Coddington, chief executive officer of Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA, said: “We’re pleased to relocate to the modern workspace at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
“This location offers easy access across the region and places us at the heart of Sheffield’s sporting future.
“As the oldest County FA in the country, we’re proud to represent football alongside other national governing bodies and organisations.”
Ian Sanderson, investment and estates consultant at SGI, added: “SGI’s vision for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park has always been to create a vibrant and collaborative environment where sport, health and wellbeing organisations can thrive together.
“With over £10m already invested in Steel City Stadium and plans for up to one million sq ft of new commercial development, we’re building something exceptional – a place where innovation, enterprise and community impact go hand in hand.
“Welcoming Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA to the Park further strengthens that ecosystem, bringing together elite and grassroots sport in a setting designed to deliver benefits for the entire region.”
